August 13 — Reverence for Joseph Smith Required. “A Choice Seer,” Ensign, Aug. 1986 “Ages ago in the Great Council, Jesus was the prepared but meek Volunteer. As the Father described the plan of salvation and the need for a Savior, it was Jesus who stepped forward and said humbly but courageously, ‘Here am I, send me.’ (Abr. 3:27; see also Moses 4:2.) Never has anyone offered to do so much for so many with so few words!
“It is through the Prophet Joseph Smith, whom the resurrected Jesus called, that we learn these things and so much more about Jesus–long before Bethlehem and well beyond Calvary.
“Whenever we speak of the Prophet Joseph Smith, therefore, it should be in reverent appreciation of the Lord who called him and whom Joseph served so well.” – Neal A. Maxwell
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1 Corinthians 2:1-2 “…declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”
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Paul’s example is worthy of notice. He told the Corinthians he went there to declare the testimony of God.
Notice that God’s testimony is of His Son who was sacrificed for our sins. The testimony isn’t about others or not even of us; rather it’s God’s testimony.
Compare this with the inspired message of the LDS Church. Reverence for someone or something entails venerating that person or thing. It’s showing a great depth of awe and/or adoration. I’ve never seen a verse in the Bible where God mentions Joseph Smith.
One of the reasons Joseph Smith claimed he needed to start a new church was because he believed the “whore of all the earth”, meaning Catholicism, prostituted herself by paying homage to angels and saints. And here we’ve come full circle with venerating Smith; it’s ironic indeed.
Interesting as well are the words Smith “translated” from the funeral texts now known as the Pearl of Great Price. In the books of Abraham and Moses we curiously find the phrase “Here I am, send me”. Hmmm.
Don’t you find it odd Isaiah said the same thing c. BC 739?
Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
Stranger still is why Smith would use the Bible so frequently considering how he railed enough times about its inefficiency. Because of his disdain for God’s perfect word he wrote his own version of what he thought things should say.
Pray for Mormons like my mother who never question talks like Maxwell gave and for members of the LDS Church to open a Bible!
With Love in Christ —
Michelle ✟
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You know it’s a cult when it’s all about the leader of their church. 🙏🙏🙏🙏they read their bible and seek the truth about Joseph Smith. God doesn’t change but their so called prophets do. God is great.
You’re spot on w/ that! Too bad those in cults don’t stop to think of this.
At first, I thought I was reading the transcript from the cartoon in “The God Makers” blink blink, blink blink.
Melissa
I’ll have to tell Ed about that. 😉